Family Portrait
by Danalas the Lady Chaos
Summary: Rating for chapter 3, mostly. A series of songfics. Starts out when Sarah is five, but will be a JS romance, as always.
1. Family Portrait

Family Portrait

Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth or the characters herein. I also don't own any of the songs I'll be using. Just the idea. Thought I'd explore why Hoggle seemed to recognize Sarah when she first arrives in the Underground. And I've never seen a "Hoggle's origin" fic before, and DEFINATELY not one like this.

Five year old Sarah Williams sat up in her room, listening. Her parents were fighting, again. Robert and Linda fought about _everything_ lately. She knew there was another woman her daddy had been friends with, and apparently her mommy didn't want him to be friends with him. But Sarah had met her. She liked Daddy's friend. So what was the problem?

_Momma please stop cryin  
I can't stand the sound  
Your pain is painful and its tearin' me down _

She heard the door slam, then. And then there was the sound of Mommy crying. It was something she heard a lot, lately. That and loud crashes every time something got thrown. That was something else Sarah had noticed. Mommy bought a lot of new dishes, lately. Especially glasses.

_I hear glasses breakin  
As I sit up in my bed  
I told Dad you didn't mean those nasty things you said.  
You fight about money  
Bout me and my brother  
And this I come home to  
This is my shelter_

Sarah heard the door downstairs open again, then heard the lighter footsteps of her older brother, Harold. He was sixteen, and had a job that got him home late. Sarah always stayed awake until he got home. He always told her a bedtime story. Her favorite was about the king that was in love with the beautiful princess and would do anything she asked. Sarah loved Harold's bedtime stories. They always helped take the pain away.

_It ain't easy growin up in World War III  
Never knowin what love could be, you'll see  
I don't want love to destroy me like it has done my family _

The door to Sarah's room opened and closed silently as Harold stepped in. "Hey, kiddo," he said, smiling at her. "I brought you something." He held out a red book with gold lettering. "It's called 'Labyrinth.' It's got the story in it that you like so much."

_Can we work it out?  
Can we be a family?  
I promise I'll be better.  
Mommy I'll do anything.  
Can we work it out?  
Can we be a family?  
I promise I'll be better.  
Daddy please don't leave._

Sarah grinned. "Will you read it to me?" she asked. This was what it used to be like all the time. Just a few months ago, they had gotten a family picture done. They all looked happy in it. Sarah kept a copy in her room, to remind her of the good times. She had promised herself many times that she would do anything, and be the perfect daughter, if her parents would just stop fighting.

_Daddy please stop yellin'.  
I can't stand the sound.  
Make mama stop cryin'  
Cause I need you around._

"Sure thing, kiddo," Harold said, sitting on the bed next to her. And he opened up the book, reading it outloud. "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess, named Sarah. And the princess Sarah had a little brother, named Toby, whom she loved very, very much..."

_My mama she loves you.  
No matter what she says, it's true.  
I know that she hurts you,  
But remember I love you, too._

"But it was only after rescuing Toby from the Goblin King that the Princess Sarah realized how much the King loved her, and how much she loved him, as well. And so she called on him again, so that they could live happily ever after. And that is exactly what happened," Harold finished, hugging Sarah.

The little girl looked up at her brother. "Can I tell you something?" she asked.

_I ran away today.  
Ran from the noise, ran away.  
Don't wanna go back to that place  
But don't have no choice, no way._

"I ran away, today, after kindergarten," Sarah said. "I ran off to the park, 'cause I didn't want to come home. But a policeman saw me there by myself about dusk, and he made me come home."

_It ain't easy growin' up in World War III  
Never knowin' what love could be  
Well I've seen  
I don't want love to destroy me like it did my family._

"You shouldn't have done that, kiddo," Harold said. "Something really bad could have happened to you. Promise me you won't again?"

"I promise."

_Can we work it out?  
Can we be a family?  
I promise I'll be better.  
Mommy I'll do anything  
Can we work it out?  
Can we be a family?  
I promise I'll be better.  
Daddy please don't leave._ Harold tucked Sarah in, then went to his own room. He had to do something. Sarah was so young, so innocent. She didn't deserve this. But what could he do to save her from his idiot parents?

_In our family portrait  
We look pretty happy  
Let's play pretend  
Let's act like it comes naturally.  
I don't wanna have to split the holidays  
I don't want two addresses  
I don't want a step-brother anyways  
And I don't want my mom to have to change her last name_

He wished it was as simple as a wish, as playing at make-believe, as he and Sarah often did together. True, he'd lost all of his own faith long ago, but Sarah still believed in miracles. And then he remembered the wish in the book, the wish that had allowed the baby to be taken away when the princess was angry. But if it worked, it wouldn't be because he was angry. It would be because he wanted to save Sarah.

_In our family portrait  
We look pretty happy  
We look pretty normal  
Let's go back to that  
In our family portrait  
We look pretty happy  
Let's play pretend  
Act like it goes naturally_

Harold stepped into Sarah's room. The little girl was already asleep, and he smiled sadly at what he was about to do. If it didn't work, noone would ever know. And if it did, he'd be doing her the greatest thing he could, sparing her a life of misery.

_In our family portrait  
We look pretty happy  
(Can we work it out? Can we be a family?)  
We look pretty normal  
Let's go back to that  
(I promise I'll be better, Mommy, I'll do anything)_

"I wish....I wish the goblins would come and take you away...right now," he said, with all finality in his voice. He could feel his heart breaking already. But maybe, if the Goblin King took her, he could ask him to make everyone else forget Sarah had ever existed.

_In our family portrait  
We look pretty happy  
(Can we work it out? Can we be a family?)  
Let's play pretend  
And act like it comes naturally  
(I promise I'll be better, Daddy, please don't leave)_

Thunder crashed outside, and it started to pour. Sarah and Harold both loved the rain, and they loved watching thunderstorms. But nothing else was happening, and Harold knew the wish had been made in vain. It was, after all, just a fairy tale, wasn't it?

_In our family portrait  
We look pretty happy  
(Can we work it out? Can we be a family?)  
We look pretty normal  
Let's go back to that  
(I promise I'll be better. Daddy please don't leave.)  
Daddy don't leave. Remember that night you left you took my shining star._

Just as Harold was about to leave, the windows burst open, and a tall, blond man wearing tights and far too much glitter to be straight burst into the room. "You're him, aren't you?" Harold asked. "You're the Goblin King."

"Is this the child?" Jareth asked, motioning towards Sarah.

Harold nodded. "Please take her," he said. "She deserves better than what she has here. At least with you, she won't get hurt. Just, please, don't let anyone but me remember her."

_Mom will be nicer  
I'll be so much better  
I'll tell my brother  
I won't spill my milk at dinner._

"No harm will come to her," Jareth said. "But I won't take her. I'll cast a spell of protection around her. If she comes with me, she'll be a goblin. But if she stays here, I see great things for her. But in exchange for my protection, I'll ask that you come and serve me. She won't remember you. Noone will. And over time, you'll lose your memory of home, but,"

"I'll do it. I'll do anything for Sarah," Harold said, quickly. Jareth nodded, and Harold slowly took the form of a dwarf. "Come with me, Hoggle," Jareth said. And the two left.

_I'll be so much better  
I'll do everything right  
I'll be your little girl forever  
I'll go to sleep at night_

A/N-Don't worry. It doesn't end here. I have great things planned for this fic. 


	2. Break Away

Chapter 2-Breakaway

A/N-I've been asked what songs I'm using. The last was Family Portrait, by Pink. This is Breakaway, by Kelly Clarkson. Name of the song is the chapter title. And, of course, I don't own any of them, or any of the Laby characters.

_Grew up in a small town  
And when the rain would fall down  
I'd just stare out my window  
Dreamin' of what could be  
Andif I'd end up happy  
I would pray_

Sarah Williams, now twenty-two, stared out the window of her apartment in downtown Hollywood. She'd come here to act, and had ended up selling her body instead of her talent just to survive. She'd slowly turned her little efficiency into home, decorating it in her favorite colors-blue, purple, black. Your basic shades of bruise. But it was what Sara liked.

_Trying hard to reach out  
But when I tried to speak out  
Felt like no one could hear me  
Wanted to belong here  
But something felt so wrong here  
So I'd pray  
I could break away_

Sarah thought back to when she was fifteen. She had made her first real friends at that point, but hadn't spoken to them since coming here immediately after high school. It wasn't as if she _wanted_ to end her contact with them. But for some reason, she couldn't. And even if she could, she didn't really want them to see her like this. It was so wrong, what she was doing.

_I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly  
Do what it takes until I touch the sky  
And I'll make a wish, take a chance, make a change  
And break away  
Out of the darkness and into the sun  
But I won't forget all the ones that I love  
I'll take a risk, take a chance, make a change  
And break away_

It had been a huge risk, she'd known, coming out here with no college degree to fall back on. But she had taken it. And now she was slowly saving up what little bit she could to start taking classes part time to be a hair dresser, or something. She could dig herself out of this mess she was in. After all, she would have Toby's memory to keep her going.

_Want to feel the warm breeze  
Sleep under a palm tree  
Feel the rush of the ocean  
Get onboard a fast train  
Travel on a jet plane  
Far away  
And break away_

The rain began to let up, and Sarah sighed. On one hand, she was grateful she'd be able to go out tonight. But on the other, she wasn't sure she wanted to do this, anymore. It was evenings like this, she thought as she dressed, that she just wanted to leave this place for somewhere friendlier. Like home, perhaps. But there was an old saying, that you couldn't go home again. And that saying was so true. It really was. And, as she carefully picked out her clothes and make-up for the night, her mind went back to her senior year of high school.

_I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly  
Do what it takes until I touch the sky  
And I'll make a wish, take a chance, make a change  
And break away  
Outof the darkness and into the sun  
But I won't forget all the ones that I love  
I gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change  
And break away_

She had been in the middle of her final exams when it had happened. Her father and Toby, her dear brother whom she loved so much, had been in a wreck with a drunk driver, and had been killed by it. Karen had been in the wreck, as well, but had only been injured enough to be put in the hospital for a week. This had not made Sarah happy. After all, no matter how hard she tried, she and Karen had still never been close.

_Buildings with a hundred floors  
Swinging 'round revolvin' doors  
Maybe I don't know where they'll take me_

Sarah had used up most of her savings to make sure Karen pulled through, and to pay for Robert and Toby's funerals. Every cent she had made from her part-time job at the book store had gone to either hospital or funeral bills. But Karen hadn't exactly appreciated it. Instead, she had blamed Sarah, in the firm belief that she wouldn't have lost her husband and son if her ungrateful step-daughter hadn't just _had_ to stay after school to put up decorations for a 'last-day-of-finals' dance.

_But gotta keep movin' on.  
Movin' on  
Fly away  
Break away_

Karen had told her expressly, as soon as she'd gotten out of the hospital, that she wanted Sarah out. That day. And so Sarah had taken what few savings she had left, purchased a plane ticket to LA, and flown out to make her attempt at spreading her wings and living on her own. It hadn't been easy, especially since all she'd brought with her were a few clothes and a couple of pictures of her father and Toby. But she was still alive, wasn't she?

_I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly  
Thought it's not easy to tell you goodbye  
I gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change  
And break away  
Out of the darkness and into the sun  
But I won't forget the place I come from  
I gottatake a risk, takea chance, make a change  
And break away  
Break away  
Break away_

A/N-And there we go. Chapter 2. And this is where I hope this goes over as well as the first one. 


	3. The Power of Goodbye

Chapter 3-The Power of Goodbye

_Your heart is not open so I must go  
The spell has been broken, I loved you so  
Freedom comes when you learn to let go  
Creation comes when you learn to say no_

Sarah lay in her bed the next afternoon. She'd been ill when she'd woken up, but that was over now. And she had no fever. And, she was late. So, she'd purchased a pregnancy test. And, horror of horrors, the test had come out positive. What was she supposed to do? She couldn't have a baby and keep 'working'.

_You were my lesson I had to learn  
I was your fortress you had to burn  
Pain is a warning that something's wrong  
I pray to God that it won't be long  
Do ya wanna go higher_

She laid there the rest of the day, contemplating her options. She could continue 'working' until she began to show, and then start up again after the baby was born, giving it away for adoption. Or she could keep the child. But either way, how could she possibly afford it? There was really only one alternative. She would have to have an abortion.

_There's nothing left to try  
There's no place left to hide  
There's no greater power  
Than the power of good-bye_

It was late in the evening when Sarah entered the all-night free abortion clinic. Giving her first name to the clerk, she sat, keeping her eyes on the floor until the nurse called her name. The nurse was an older woman, mid-forties, Sarah guessed, with a kind looking face. She led Sarah into a back room, handed her a gown, and left while Sarah changed.

_Your heart is not open so I must go  
The spell has been broken, I loved you so  
You were my lesson I had to learn  
I was your fortress you had to burn_

When the nurse re-entered, she took Sarah's medical history, then began informing her of her other options, but Sarah cut her off. "I know my options," she said. "I've thought this out thoroughly. This is the way I want....need....to go." The nurse just nodded, then went to get the doctor.

_There's nothing left to lose  
There's no more heart to bruise  
There's no greater power  
Than the power of good-bye_

There were two different procedures. A surgical, vacuum procedure, or a medicinal one. The vacuum abortion would get it all over that night. The pills would take two weeks to make sure all was over and done with. Sarah had to get this over with immediately. The vacuum was the way to go. And so, the decision final, she lay back, ready for what was coming.

_Learn to say goodbye  
I yearn to say goodbye_

After the procedure was over, Sarah left the clinic quickly, needing to get home. She wouldn't be working for a few days, she knew that. She didn't want to do it at all, anymore. She had just taken a life. She had been raised in a pro-life household. She felt so guilty. As soon as she entered her apartment, she collapsed onto her bed and began crying.

_There's nothing left to try  
There's no place left to hide  
There's no greater power  
Than the power of goodbye_

Sarah's mind went back to a more innocent time, when she had been only fifteen. She remembered the evening she had run the labyrinth. She had grown up that night, but had grown up even more since coming here. After all, it was here she had lost those last traces of innocence. She missed her friends so much. And she wondered...

_There's nothing left to lose  
There's no more heart to bruise  
There's no greater power  
Than the power of good-bye_

"I....I wish the Goblins would come and take me away....right now..." she whispered, finally falling asleep.

A/N-Wow. This is so much darker than what I usually write. Oh well. At least this can only get better. 


	4. Crash and Burn

Crash and Burn

It was a first floor room, with marble floors and a window that overlooked a beautiful rose garden. Lavender curtains hung over it, and lilacs, Sarah's favorite flowers, sat in a light blue vase on the mahoghany bedside table. But Sarah noticed none of that as she woke up. Nor did she notice the soft queensized bed and silk sheets. Instead, she noticed only Jareth.

_When you feel all alone  
And the world has turned its back on you  
Give me a moment please  
To tame your wild wild heart_

"You....you came for me..." Sarah said, softly, looking at him, slowly sitting. She had to lay back down, though, as a wave of nausia came over her. The doctor had told her this was a possible effect.

_I know you feel  
Like the walls are closing in on you  
It's hard to find relief  
And people can be so cold_

"Of course I did," Jareth said. "You called, didn't you? And just stay still. I want you to rest."

_When darkness is upon your door_

Sarah sighed, casting her eyes downward. "I suppose you're wondering what happened..."

_And you feel like you can't take anymore_

Jareth shook his head. "No. I know what happened. I made a promise, a long time ago, to an old friend, to watch over you. I should have stopped you, taken you before you had a chance to do it. But I was in owl form, doing my nightly flight over the labyrinth, making sure all was well."

_Let me be the one you call  
If you jump, I'll break your fall  
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night  
If you need to fall apart  
I can mend a broken heart  
If you need to crash, then crash and burn  
You're not alone_

Sarah looked at him, wondering what 'old friend' had made Jareth promise to watch over her. It couldn't be one of the friends she had made during her last trip here. They all despised Jareth, didn't they?

_When you feel all alone  
And a loyal friend is hard to find  
You're caught in a one way street  
With the monsters in your head_

Jareth looked at Sarah. He wanted so much to tell her how he felt. But how would she react? Would she turn away from him? She had rejected him completely the last time they had met. But he could understand. She had only been fifteen. She couldn't possibly have understood. Now that she was so grown up, she could handle it, couldn't she? Or would she end up breaking his heart again? What could he do for now but offer her his friendship?

_When hopes and dreams are far away  
And you feel like you can't face the day_

"Sarah, I want you to know that I'm here for you. If you need anything, anything at all, just call, alright?"

"I will," she said, softly. And Jareth smiled.

_Let me be the one you call  
If you jump I'll break your fall  
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night  
If you need to fall apart  
I can mend a broken heart  
If you need to crash  
Then crash and burn you're not alone_

"Are you feeling up to eating, yet?" he asked, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

Sarah shrugged. "I dunno. I suppose I could try something."

_Because there has always been heartache and pain  
And when it's over you'll breathe again  
You'll breath again_

Jareth nodded, and popped out, quickly returning with some broth and juice, as well as a little soft, warm, freshly baked bread. "Here. You can take it slowly for now, and go from here, see how you're feeling after this, alright?"

_When you feel all alone  
And the world has turned its back on you  
Give me a moment please  
To tame your wild wild heart_

Sarah smiled. "Thank you," she said, softly, slowly starting to eat. Jareth sat on the bed next to her, assisting her, and Sarah leaned against him gratefully. Yes, there had been so many bad choices over the past few years. But this had been a good decision, so perhaps things would get better, she thought.

_Let me be the one you call  
If you jump, I'll break your fall  
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night  
If you need to fall apart  
I can mend a broken heart  
If you need to crash  
Then crash and burn  
You're not alone_

A/N-And the writer's block is overcome!!


	5. When You Love Someone

When You Love Someone

Hoggle entered the throne room silently. He'd been exterminating the biting fairies in the garden outside Sarah's window when Jareth had come in and Sarah had woken up. He'd heard the entire conversation. But he still had some questions. Especially since he'd begun remembering who he was before.

_When you love someone you'll do anything  
You'll do all the crazy things that you can't explain  
You'll shoot the moon put out the sun  
When you love someone_

"Um...Jareth...?"

The Goblin King looked up, his thoughts on Sarah broken by the intteruption. "Yes?"

_You'll deny the truth, believe a lie  
There'll be times that you'll believe you can really fly  
But your lonely nights have just begun  
When you love someone_

Hoggle took a deep breath, then got right to the point. "It's about Sarah," he said. "I don't want to see her hurt any more than she already has been."

_When you love someone you'll feel it deep inside  
When you want someone  
When you need someone_

Jareth sighed. "You don't have anything to worry about. I could never hurt her. I love her more than life itself. And...I know I promised long ago that I wouldn't let her get hurt. I should have been watching her more carefully. But trust me, I will make things right."

_When you love someone  
When you love someone, you'll sacrifice  
You'd give it everything you got  
And you won't think twice_

His words put Hoggle's mind further at ease. He knew that, if nothing else, the Goblin King was honest. And Jareth, in turn, knew that if the dwarf had to, he would find a way to seriously hurt him should he ever be directly responsible for Sarah getting hurt. It was something they both accepted, especially when Hoggle had come to Jareth the night before to confess to his memories.

And then there was the fact that, no matter what came in the future, Jareth would protect Sarah. Or give everything up for her. Hoggle nodded. "Thank you, your Majesty..." he whispered, moving quickly out of the room.

_You'd risk it all, no matter what may come  
When you love someone  
You'll shoot the moon, put out the sun  
When you love someone_

Jareth returned to his thoughts, wondering what he could do to convince Sarah of his feelings, and barely heard what the dwarf had said. But hear it he did. "You're welcome...Harold..." he muttered, not quite aware and not caring that Hoggle had already left. 


	6. In The Dark Of The Night

In The Dark of the Night

He was but a corpse, and had been for twenty years. Such was his punishment, declared by the entire Underground council, for trying to take over, to be a tyrant. But now he was awake, and his body slowly reforming. He was, after all, an immortal, and could only truly be killed by iron or salt. Being turned into a corpse for twenty years was nothing.

_In the dark of the night I was tossing and turning  
And the nightmare I had was as bad as can be  
It scared me out of my wits  
A corpse falling to bits  
Then I opened my eyes  
And the nightmare was me!_

Elric was, by birth, a Dark Elf. Like others of his kind, he had black hair and skin that was a golden tan. But his eyes set him apart. Others of his kind had dark brown or black eyes. His were silver. A color of evil. The others should have been warned. But they weren't. And so he'd quickly risin up the ranks of the council, and twenty years ago, he'd been at the head.

_I was once the most powerful in the Underground  
When the royals betrayed me, they made a mistake  
My curse made each of them pay  
But one little girl got away  
Little Sarah, beware  
For Elric's awake!_

Twenty years ago, he'd proposed wiping out the humans of the Underground. There was a royal family for each race, and most humans had fled Aboveground upon his attempt to destroy them. But he'd gotten to the human king and queen. It was their daughter, Sarah, who had escaped. But now, she was back. He could sense it.

_In the dark of the night evil will find her  
In the dark of the night just before dawn  
Aah..  
Revenge will be sweet  
When the curse is complete  
In the dark of the night  
She'll be gone!_

But where in the Underground was she? The human kingdom of the Underground had long ago disappeared. Those humans who had remained, he had turned into Goblins. And then the Council had risen against him, stopping him. So perhaps with the Goblin King, then? It seemed a likely place. Turning, forming a dark crystal, he called up his minions.

_I can feel that my powers are slowly returning  
Tie my sash and a dash of cologne for that smell!  
As the pieces fall into place  
I'll see her crawl into place!  
Dasvidanya, Sarah, your grace, farewell!_

"Go and find the Princess Sarah of the humans," he told them. "She has returned to the Underground at last, and the time for my revenge is at hand!"

_In the dark of the night, terror will strike her!  
Terror's the least I can do!  
In the dark of the night evil will brew!  
Ooh!  
Soon she will feel  
That her nightmares are real  
In the dark of the night she'll be through!_

Yes, revenge he would have. Killing Sarah and eradicating the last of the human ties to the Underground wasn't all that was on his mind. Jareth, the Goblin King himself, was what stood in his way of regaining control, for it was Jareth that had led the Council in removing him from power. And by getting rid of Sarah, he would be killing two birds with one stone.

_In the dark of the night, evil will find her  
Find her! Ooh!  
In the dark of the night terror comes true!  
Doom her!  
My dear, here's a sign  
It's the end of the line  
In the dark of the night...  
In the dark of the night...  
In the dark of the night..._

Elric watched as the majority of his servants, tiny, evil pixies, flew out the window, though two stayed behind to serve him personally. They clothed him, fed him, made him ready. In the dark of the night, he would strike, and Jareth would not know what hit him. After all, getting rid of Sarah would make Jareth too weak to stop him.

_Come my minions!  
Rise for your master!  
Let your evil shine!  
Find her now  
Yes, fly ever faster  
In the dark of the night...  
In the dark of the night...  
In the dark of the night...  
She'll be mine!_

The Underground Council would bow before him once again, and this time, for good. And for the first time in twenty years, Elric smiled.

A/N-Yes, I know. I changed the lyrics a bit. Tweaked it. But I had to. And for those of you who predicted no complications, just pure fluff? Yeah, you know who you are. _Never_ try to predict where I'm going. 


	7. Changes

Changes

Hoggle had been remembering more and more, lately. The memories, which had started returning seven years ago, when Sarah had first come ot the labyrinth and defeated it, had been coming faster and faster ever since Sarah had returned yesterday. He had told Jareth the night before last that they were starting to return. Now..."Jareth, I can remember everything, now. Why? You said that I would forget everything, but Sarah would be safe."

_I still don't know what I was waiting for  
And my time was running wild  
A million dead-end streets Every time I thought I'd got it made  
It seemed the taste was not so sweet_

Jareth shook his head. "As I seem to remember, I never said that. I said you would forget, but...and then you said you would do it. I never got to finish. What I was going to say was that you would forget everything, but should you ever come into contact with her again, the memories would start to return. There's only one thing for me to do, right now."

_So I turned myself to face me  
But I've never caught a glimpse  
Of how the others must see the faker  
I'm much too fast to take that test_

Hoggle raised an eyebrow. "What's that? You're not going to take my memories away, are you?"

_Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes  
(Turn and face the stranger)  
Ch-ch-changes  
Don't want to be a richer man_

"No," Jareth said, forming a crystal. "I'm going to make you Harold again. Catch." He threw the crystal at the dwarf, who caught it, and disappeared in a bright light. When the light faded, the dwarf was gone, and in his place was a man, thirty-three, but much younger looking, as if the magic that had kept him in a dwarf's body had also kept him from aging as quickly as he should have.

_Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes  
(Turn and face the stranger)  
Ch-ch-changes  
Just gonna have to be a different man  
Time may change me  
But I can't trace time_

"This is going to be interesting, explaining to Sarah where her friend went," Harold said, laughing slightly. "How can I thank you, Jareth?"

_I watch the ripples change their size  
But never leave the stream  
Of warm impermanence and  
So the days float through my eyes  
But still these days seem the same_

"How about giving me permission to court your sister?"

_And these children that you spit on  
As they try to change their worlds  
Are immune to your consultations  
They're quite aware of what they're going through_

Harold just smiled. "You have my blessing, definately. I know you wouldn't hurt her. But it's not my permission you need. It's hers."

_Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes  
(Turn and face the stranger)  
Ch-ch-changes  
Don't tell them to grow up and out of it_

Jareth returned the smile Harold gave him. "Any hints for the man who wants to be your brother-in-law?"

_Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes  
(Turn and face the stranger)  
Ch-ch-changes  
Where's your shame  
You've left us up to our necks in it  
Time may change me  
But you can't trace time_

"Well, I know her favorite colors are lilacs," Harold said, thoughtfully. "And she really likes blues, purples, and blacks, for some reason. And she absolutely loves fantasy. Actually, she was wearing quite a bit of purple the day we found her..."

_Strange fascination, fascinating me  
Changes are taking the pace I'm going through_

"The day you found her?" Jareth asked, raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean? I thought humans were born the same way as Fae.."

_Ch-ch-ch-changes  
(Turn and face the stranger)  
Ch-ch-changes  
Oh, look out you rock 'n' rollers_

Harold nodded. "They are. But Sarah was adopted. I came home from school one day, and found a two year old in a purple silk dress curled up in a dark blue blanket with a strange insignia on it, asleep on our front porch. There was a note that her name was Sarah, and to take good care of her. I wasn't sure what to do, so I waited until Mom and Dad got home, and they decided to adopt her, since I had wanted a sibling for a long time, and Mom couldn't have anymore."

_Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes  
(Turn and face the stranger)  
Ch-ch-changes  
Pretty soon you're gonna get older  
Time may change me  
But I can't trace time_

"The insignia on the blanket...did it happen to be a circle of lilacs around a gold crown with blue and purple and black jewels?" Jareth asked. If he was right, and he did hope he was, Sarah was...but it couldn't be, could it? _That_ Sarah had disappeared... She was the same age. She looked the same, albeit older, but that was to be expected. And early childhood memories of the insignia would explain the color and flower preference...

_I said that time may change me  
But I can't trace time_

"Yeah," Harold said. "How did you know, and what does that have to do with anything?"

"You'll see," Jareth said. "Come with me to the library. I've something to show you that may reveal your sister's origins."

A/N-I did it! I finally got a song for this chapter and got it finished!! YAY!!! GO ME!! 


	8. The Music of The Night

Music of the Night

Clothed in darkness, Elric came to the place where his minions had told him Sarah was. He wasn't surprised she had been found in the Goblin Kingdom. Jareth had, after all, always been the one monarch in the Underground with almost constant contact with the Aboveground.

_Night time sharpens  
Heightens each sensation  
Darkness wakes and  
Stirs imagination_

A pass of the hand, and the balcony doors were open. Another, and Sarah was standing, moving, as if in a trance. "Yes, that's right, my pretty..." he whispered. "Come with me, and help to complete my plan, and boost me up through the ranks again."

_Silently the senses  
Abandon their defenses  
Helpless to resist the notes I write  
For I compose the music of the night_

Keeping her in this zombie-like state, Elric brought Sarah to his stronghold. And then he released her from the trance, smiling cruely. "Welcome home, Princess..." he said, the title like poison in his mouth.

_Slowly, gently  
Night unfurls its splendor  
Grasp it, sense it  
Tremulous and tender___

Sarah jumped slightly, as if waking from a bad nightmare. Only, this nightmare had just begun. Darkness surrounded her, with only a few old candles for light. And the man in front of her was definately not Jareth. Who was he? And Princess? "I don't know what you're talking about..." she said. "I'm no princess."

_Hearing is believing  
Music is deceiving  
Hard as lightning, soft as candlelight  
Dare you trust the music of the night_

"Oh, but you are, Sarah," Elric hissed. "You got away from me once. You won't survive again. But first, some fun..." With that, his lecherous hands ran over her sides, pulling her close.

_Close your eyes for your eyes will only tell the truth  
And the truth isn't what you want to see  
In the dark it is easy to pretend  
That the truth is what it ought to be_

Sarah pushed him away in disgust. Did he know about the life she'd just left? Was that what he expected? Well, she had news for him. It wasn't happening. "Who the hell are you?" she growled. "Where are we? Where's Jareth?"

_Softly, deftly  
Music shall caress you  
Hear it, feel it  
Secretly possess you_

Suddenly, Elric was behind her, holding her tightly to him. "I am Elric, my dear princess. Know my name. For in your last moments here in my fortress, you will be screaming it loudly. As for Jareth...perhaps, if we're lucky, he'll arrive just in time to see me take your life. Unfortunately for you, I'm not a patient man with those who disobey me."

_Open up your mind  
Let your fantasies unwind  
In this darkness which you know you cannot fight  
The darkness of the music of the night_

Those hands were on her again. Not that they felt completely bad, Sarah thought. But this was wrong. She wouldn't sink into that again, even if it meant her very life was forfit. But would it be so wrong to lull him into a false sense of safety, then escape? She would do, she decided, what she had to in order to get back to Jareth.

_Close your eyes, start a journey to a strange new world  
Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before  
Close your eyes and let music set you free  
Only then can you belong to me_

Elric smiled as his prey fell so easily into his grasp. Guiding her over, he laid her on the bed, moving over her, kissing her soundly. He would take her, and then he would kill her, he thought, thrusting his tongue between her lips.

_Floating, falling  
Sweet intoxication  
Touch me, trust me  
Savor each sensation_

Sarah did all she could not to respond. She didn't want to yield to him. But that hand massaging the back of her skull felt so good. And none of her clients had ever kissed her. It had been a rule that all good prostitutes had. Never kiss on the lips. It was too personal. And then his mouth had moved down to her neck.

_Let the dream begin  
Let your darker side give in  
To the power of the music that I write  
The power of the music of the night_

No, she realized. This was wrong. She had to get him off of her. Even her years of professionalism couldn't let her distance herself. She didn't care if he killed her. She had to get out of this. In desparation, she kneed him soundly in the groin. But the damn bastard recovered quickly, grabbing her by the neck. "Bad move, Princess..." he growled, throwing her against the wall.

You alone can make my song take flight  
Help me make the music of the night

"I can't rise to take control withouth bringing Jareth down, as well. You're my ticket to that. You're lucky I can't kill you until he gets here. But that's okay. Let him take his time. I can just prolong the pain." Sarah stood, though she shrunk away from him, trying to hide in the shadows. She had a feeling that, no matter what had happened in her life so far, physical pain, and, perhaps, even emotional pain, had just barely encroached upon her, were just now beginning to really come down upon her.

A/N-FINALLY!! Gods, I hate writer's block.... 


	9. Dream On

"Twenty years ago," Jareth explained, "Humans lived in the Underground, as well. Then a Dark Elf rose up to a position of high power in the Underground Council. He despised humans, thought they were beneath the rest of us. Then he became the head of the Council and began a purge of the humans. He went after their ruling family, first. I had heard rumors of the Princess surviving and being safely hidden away, but I didn't believe them until now."

_Every time when I look in the mirror All these lines on my face getting clearer The past is gone it went by, like dusk to dawn Isn't that the way Everybody's got the dues in life to pay _

Harold listened as he helped jareth flip through the books in his library, though he still wasn't completely sure what they were looking for, outside of proof that Jareth's theorys were correct and that Sarah, the girl he had always thought of and loved as his siter, wasreally a princess. "So, if Sarah's the missing princess, what will happen?"

_I know nobody knows where it comes and where it goes I know it's everybody sin You got to lose to know how to win _

Jareth shrugged. "She'll be recognized by the Underground Council, but I doubt much would happen beyond that. Any subjects of the Human Kingdom of the Underground who managed to survive the purge will have gone Aboveground long ago for their own safety. She'd be a Queen, since Elric kiled her parents, but she'd be a Queen without subjects.

_Half my life is books written pages live and learn from fools and from sages You know it's true,OH All these things come back to you_

"Elric? Is that the name of the Dark Elf?" Harold asked, getting a nod in response. "What happened to him?"

"Naturally, the rest of the Underground Council was outraged. But Elric had become so powerful that they were too scared to do anything."

_Sing with me, sing for the years Sing for the laughter, sing for the tears Sing with me, just for today Maybe tomorrow, the good lord will take you away _

"But he wasn't Head of the Council when I arrived here," Harold pointed out. "And that was seventeen years ago."

Jareth nodded. "I said the rest of the Council was too scared to do anything. I never said I was. Little by little, I gathered backers, and we disposed of him. He was locked, magically sealed, in an underground vault, turned into a decaying corpse."

_Yeah, sing with me, sing for the year sing for the laughter, sing for the tear sing with me, just for today Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away_

Harold shuddered. It sounded horrible. "And when he finishes decaying, that's the end of him, right?"

"Unfortunately, no," Jareth sighed. "We only had enough magic for such a complex spell, keeping him alive while he decayed, that we could only make the sentance stick for twenty years. Infact, today-" He stopped, then, as if remembering something urgent.

_Dream On Dream On Dream On Dream until your dreams come true_

"What is it?" Harold asked, concerened.

_ Dream On Dream On Dream On Dream until your dreams come true _

Jareth slammed shut the book he was looking through. "Today was the day he was supposed to start RE-composing. Sarah's in danger if he sensed her return." With that, he grabbed Harold's arm, teleporting them both to Sarah's room to make sure she was safe.

_Dream On Dream On Dream On Dream On Dream On Dream On Dream On _

Much to their horror, the balcony doors were wide open, and Sarah was nowhere to be seen. "What do we do now?" Harold asked.

_Sing with me, sing for the year sing for the laughter, sing for the tear sing with me,just for today Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away_

"Now," Jareth said, "we come up with a damn good plan to resuce your sister, and put it into action before Elric has a chance to seriously hurt her."

_Sing with me, sing for the year sing for the laughter, sing for the tear Sing with me, just for today Maybe tomorrow, the good Lord will take you away._

Chapter 10 


	10. Something Wicked This Way Comes

Family Portrait Chapter 10  
Something Wicked This Way Comes

_Double, double, toil and trouble  
Fire burn and cauldron bubble_

Sarah sat in teh small cage that Elric had put her in, still confused as to what had happened, what was going on. Elric has said nothing else since bringing her here. Who was he, what wrong had Jareth done him that Elric wanted revenge so badly, and why did he kep calling her 'Princess'? She wasn't a princess!

_Double, double, toil and trouble  
Something wicked this way comes. _

There were many things he'd done to her over the past several ghours. Some she couldn't bear to think about because of how much they'd remindedher of the past. He'd whipped and beaten her. How long ago had he finally left her alone? There was so little light, only from candles, and it was impossible to tell how long she'd been there at all.

_Eye of newt and toe of frog,  
Wool of bat and tongue of dog,_

"Are you ready to change your mind, yet, Princess?"

Damn. He was back. Sarah looked up at him. "No. And I keep telling you, I'm not a princess. I don't know why you keep calling me that."

_Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting,  
Lizard's leg and howlet's wing. _

Elric's smile was crule, his eyes cold. Jareth hadn't frightened her seven years ago. Karen hadn't been this cold four years ago. She'd barely felt a shiver when facing either of them. But Elirc made the very blood in her veins turn to ice, and then even colder when he spoke. "Don't you remember?

"Remember what?"

_Double, double, toil and trouble  
Fire burn and cauldron bubble _

"No, I suppose you wouldn't," he said, still smiling. "After all, you were only two mortal years old when you were taken Aboveground to be saved from me. YOu, my dear, are the last remaining member of the ruling family of the Human Kingdom of the Underground. Not that you have any more subjects. I destroyed them all. Only you escaped."

_Double, double, toil and trouble  
Something wicked this way comes. _

Sarah's eyes widened. Was he telling the truth? Could it be possible at all? She was going to ask Jareth once she got out of here. Speaking of...":Wbhat does all this have to do with Jareth?"

_In the cauldron boil and bake  
Fillet of a fenny snake, _

"i explained this before," Elric said. "I want to kill you and finally be rid of the last of you. But not until Jareth gets here. If not for him, I'd still be in control. And killing you in front of him will bring him to his knees, and I'll soon be in control again."

_ Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,  
Witches' mummy, maw and gulf._

Sarah bit her lower lip. Surely Jareth would be able to rescue her, right? After all, if Jareth could beat Elric at full power, why not with Elric so much weaker, like now? "You'll never get away with it," she said, finally, sounding more confidant than she felt.

_Double, double, double, double  
Toil and trouble  
Fire burn and cauldron bubble  
Double, double, toil and trouble_

Elric reached over with a bony finger, tilting her head up. "Oh, believe me, my dear, I will." He ran a fingernail roughly across her cheek, then, drawing blood, and laughed as Sarah shrank back. He'd get away with it, and he'd rule the Underground once again.

_Fire burn and cauldron bubble  
Double, double, toil and trouble  
Fire burn and cauldron bubble  
Something wicked this way comes_


	11. Invincible

Family Portrait Chapter 11  
Invincible

Jareth and Harold crept through Elric's stronghold silently. Jareth's crystal had led them this far, but now they were on their own. AS they searched for Sarah, Harold had been thinking. With Sarah as the only heir to the throne, should Jareth's courtship be successful, the Human and Goblin Kingdoms would be united.

_This bloody road remains a mystery  
This sudden darkness fills the air_ Not that there was a Human Kingdom to rule over.

But Sarah would have a t least ione subject. Harold would makie sure of that. He hadn't even ahd to think about it. He would pledge himself to his sister's service. And surely those survivors who had gone Aboveground would be willing to come back, right?

_What are we waiting for?  
Won't anybody help us?  
What are we waiting for?_

They looked carefully through yet another dor, and there she was, asleep in the giant cage Elric had been keeping her in. Their eyes were immediately drawn to the blood-encrusted line on Sarah's cheek. "That bastard," Harold muttered.

_We can't afford to be innocent  
Stand up and face the enemy  
It's a do or die situation  
We will be invincible_

Jareth frowned. Finding Sarah had been too easy, he thought, moving with Harold over to the cage. "Why do I get the feeling we're walking right into a trap?"

_This shattered dream you cannot justify  
We're gonna scream until we're satisified_

"Because you did, Goblin King," came the menacing voice behind them. Elric stood there, his dark robes making his pale skin appear even more so, his features full of malice. "Such a lovely creature, even for a filthy little human. But you're too late. A little scratch from a poison-dipped fingernail, and now, she's slowly dying."

_What are we running for?  
We've got the right to be angry  
What are we running for?  
When there's no where we can run to anymore_

Harold, pissed as hell, lunged at Elric. The Dark Elf was surprised, not anticipating such a bold move from a mere human, but he quickly recovered, throwing Harold across the room. "A foolish move, what your little lacky just pulled, Jareth. Now bow down."

_We can't afford to be innocent  
Stand up and face the enemy  
It's a do or die situation  
We will be invincible_

"Never," Jareth growled, a crystal quickly forming in his hands. He trhew it at Elric. The crystal shattered on impact, piercing Elric's skin. "I defeated you once before, Elric," Jareth said, "And I'll do it again." He barely had time to throw a quick healing spell at Sarah before Elric got rid of the crystal shards.

_And with the power of conviction  
There is no sacrifice  
It's a do or die situation  
We will be invincible_

"You had the rest of the council behind you, last time, Jareth. I don't see them now." He then threw his own curse, hitting Jareth squarely in the chest. Jareth fell backwards as large bruises formed all over his skin.

_Won't anybody help us?  
What are we running for?  
When there's no where, no where we can run to anymore_

Harold, meanwhile, had recovered, his hand reaching into his pouch, where all the things he had collected as a dwarf still lay. Amongst them was one item he'd had seventeen years ago, before he'd ever come to the Undergroun,d. It was a small hunk of iron he'd been planning to use in an experiment on preventing oxidization. IT was old and rusty, but it still had a sharp point. And Elric, dependant on magic, would be easily killed by it.

_We can't afford to be innocent  
Stand up and face the enemy  
It's a do or die situation  
We will be invincible_

Taking a deep breath, he waited for Jareth to throw another spell. Then, before Elric could recover, Harold hurled his one weapon, hoping, as it hit, that it did its job.

_And with the power of conviction  
There is no sacrifice  
It's a do or die situation  
We will be invincible_


	12. Miracles Happen

The effect had been almsot instant. Jareth's last hex had blown a hole into Elric's chest, allowing Harold's hunk of iron to pierce the Dark Elf's heart, killing him. Now, they were back at Jareths' castle, Jareth healed from the curse Elric had hit him with, and Sarah awake and on the road to recovery.

_Miracles happen, miracles happen  
You showed me faith is not blind  
I don't need wings to help me fly  
Miracles happen, miracles happen_

"Lady Sarah, it is so good to see you again," Didymus said.

"Ludo happy," Ludo added.

Sarah smiled. "It's good to see you two, as well," she said.

_I can't imagine living my life without you now  
Not ever having you around  
We found our way out  
(on you I can depend)  
Don't have to look back to realize how far we've come  
There are a million reasons  
I'm lookin up  
I don't want this to end_

"I wonly wish we had been able to find Sir Hoggle," Didymus said. This broughht on laguther from Sarah and a shared look between her, Jareth, and Harold, something that much perplexed the Don Quixote-ish fox.

_Nothin  
Nothin should ever bring you down  
Knowing what goes around will come around_

"I"m right here, Didymus," Harold said, grinning. "Jareth finally returned me to my original form."

Ludo looked at Harold, tilting his head in confusion. "You Hoggle?"

_You showed me faith is not blind  
I don't need wings to help me fly  
Miracles happen, once in a while  
When you believe  
(miracles happen)  
You showed me dreams come to light  
That takin a chance on us was right  
All things will come with a little time  
When You believe_

Harold nodded. "Real name, Harold Williams. I wished Sarah away seventeen years ago, to pretect her, and ended up entering Jareth's service as a dwarf in exchange for him watching over and protecting her."

_There is no question we found the missing pieces  
Our picture is completed  
It's fallen into place  
(it's fallen into place)  
This is out moment, you and I are looking up  
Someone is watching over us  
Keeping me close  
Closer to you everyday_

"And that's not the half of it," Jareth said. "This morning, the Underground Council finally recognized Sarah, for she's no mere human. She was adopted by the William's family twenty years ago. Sarah is the Princess Sarah of the Human Kingdom of the Underground."

_Nowhere  
Nowhere on earth I'd rather be  
No one can take this away from you and me_

"But it's still just Sarah, to you guys," Sarah said.

"It all leaves just one question unanswered," Jareth said, dropping to one knee. In his outstretched hands, he held a beautiful diamond ring. "Sarah, will you marry me?"

_You showed me faith is not blind  
I don't need wings to help me fly  
Miracles happen, once in a while  
When you believe  
(miracles happen)  
You showed me dreams come to light  
That takin a chance on us was right  
All things will come with a little time  
When You believe_

As Harold, Didymus,. and Ludo watched on, Jareth panicked. What if she said no? He didn't think he'd be able to stand it. But Sarah, instead of turning him down, smiled, held out her hand, and said, "Yes."

_When you believe  
The soul is a shining light  
When you believe  
The heart has the will to fight  
You can do anything, don't be afraid  
We're gonna find our way_

"Sarah and Jareth get married!" Ludo exclaimed, sweeping the couple into a giant hug that quickly included Didymus and Harold.

"My heartiest congratulations, Your Majesties," Didymus said.

_You showed me faith is not blind  
I don't need wings to help me fly  
Miracles happen, once in a while  
When you believe  
(miracles happen)  
You showed me dreams come to light  
That takin a chace on us was right  
All things will come with a little time  
When You believe_

"I'm real happy for the two of you," Harold said.

Jareth and Sarah smiled. "Thanks, guys,' Sarah said, softly, as Jareth's lips claimed hers. 


	13. From This Moment On

Chapter 13  
From This Moment On

_I just swear  
That I'll always be there  
I'd give anything  
And everything  
And I'll always care_

It was a beautiful day in the Underground. Spring was always a happy time, one of rejuvination and renewal. But it was made even better by the simple fact that, today, Sarah and Jareth were getting married.

_Through weakness and strength  
Happiness and sorrow  
For better or for worse  
I will love you  
With every beat of my heart_

Sarah stood in the dressing room, putting on the final touches of make-up with the help of a Goblin maid. The gown was beige with black, purple, and blue trim. Strapless, the bodice was fitted, the full skirt flowing from a princess waistline. Over the dress, she wore a matching robe with long, wide sleeves, and in place of a veil was a cirlce of lilacs.

_From this moment  
Life has begun  
From this moment  
You are the one  
Right beside you  
Is where I belong  
From this moment on_

In his own rooms, with Harold, Ludo, and Didymus to help him, Jareth was nervous for the first itme in his life. Second, he amended hastily to himself. After all, he'd been nervous and more when Sarah's life had been in danger. "Are you alright, Jareth?" Harold asked.

_From this moment  
I have been blesssed  
I live only  
For your happiness  
And for your love  
I'd give my last breath  
From this moment on_

"I'm fine," Jareth sid. "I'm just scared I'll wake up and find that this is just some wonderful dream."

"Just be good to her, or I'll find some iron for you, too," Harold chuckled. "I'm going to go see how she's doing. It's about time to start, so you'd better head out there."

_I give my hand to you with all my heart  
Can't wait to live my life with you  
Can't wait to start  
You and I will never be apart  
My dreams came true  
Because of you_

When Harold stepped into Sarah's room, he couldn't help but smile. " You look beautiful, sis."

"Thanks," she said, smiling. "Is everything ready out here?" Harold nodded, took Sarah's arm, and escorted her out into the garden.

_From this moment  
As long as I live  
I will love you  
I promise you this  
There is nothing  
I wouldn't give  
From this moment on_

Flowers of all kind bloomed in the garden. The altar, covered in various roses and lilacs, was set up in front of a crystal fountain. People had come from all over the Underground for this, but Sarah's eyes were only on Jareth as Harold walked her down the aisle, handing her off.

You're the reason I believe in love  
And you're the answer to my prayers from up above  
All we need is just the two of us  
My dreams came true  
Because of you 

the Elven official there to conduct the ceremony smiled as he began speaking. "Ladies and gentlement, we are here today to celebrate teh union of His Majesty, Jareth Daron Medith, King of the Goblins, to Sarha Amelia Bronis, adopted Williams, Queen of the Underground Humans, in glorious matrimony. May love bind them and surround them for all times."

_From this moment  
As long as I live_

"Sarah, I've loved you for a long time. You are more than I deserve and all that I desire, and if this is a dream, then may I never wake up. I take thee this day as my wife with a promise to love thee and honor thee, for now and forever."

_I will love you  
I promise you this_

"Jareth, even Aboveground I felt an intense connection to you. You are truly my soulmate, and I love you with every bit of my heart. I take thee this day as my husband with a promise to love thee and honor thee, for now and forever."

_There is nothing  
I wouldn't give_

"All of you here have witnessed this exchange of the most sacred of vows," the Elf said. "Let it be known that Jareth and Sarah are bound forever, by love and magic, in marriage. I now pronounce them husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

"About time," Jarteth muttered, kissing Sarah deeply.

_From this moment  
I will love you  
I will love you  
As long as I live  
From this moment on_

_Finis_

A/N-Well, it took a long time, but it's finally finished. Somewhere in the Underground, Jareth's probably having a heart attack. Which raises a question. Do Fae HAVE hearts? Hmmm...


End file.
